Inside Man
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Wordys undercover the night of a big deal. As he stands before his helpless best friend with his gun poised he knows the night is going to get a lot worse for him & Ed. Will Ed be rescued in time or will Wordys cover be blown & Eds  life over? CHAP 4 UP
1. One Wrong Move

**Title: Inside Man  
><strong>**Chapter 1 – One Wrong Move **

**Summary:** Wordy's undercover with Guns & Gangs on the night of a big deal. But as he stands before his helpless best friend with his gun poised he knows the night is going to get a lot worse for him & Ed before it gets better. Will the team arrive in time or will Wordy's cover be blown and Ed's life be over?

**Disclaimer: **Sadly I own nothing from the awesomeness that is Flashpoint, that belongs to CTV, CBC and whoever else! Lol Any other OC's are my own and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidence as I use a random name generator for most of my OC's

**NOTE:** **CM-x-SN-x-HP-x-roxmysox** (I hope you'll review one of these and save me the trouble of reporting you) thank you kindly.

**A/N:** Okay so this idea was mentioned briefly on FB by me just after Wordy's last eppy but was distracted my Spike's amazing eppy (shockwave) so have finally let Alice run with the idea and hope you like it. I loved Ed and Wordy together so hope you Ed/Wordy fans like this and I do your faves some justice. I will be back to my Spike centric stories shortly in the meantime please enjoy this little action/peril ficlet (hehe yes it's what Alice loves to write most :D

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><p>"Here is where you prove your loyalty to this brotherhood and to myself. You must kill officer Ed Lane."<p>

Wordy stands before his captive best friend and former partner and feels his anxiety skyrocket. This wasn't supposed to happen. He had been working this gang for a few weeks and tonight was the night of the big deal and he was just going to be a spectator, a hired goon; helping with the goods but nothing more. However, that was now moot when Ed had been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and was now their prisoner. But was this just by chance? Was there someone else involved? Who knew he was undercover? Who really was on the phone? He was cleared before he went in and knew of no other under cover officer working the same case. Was he betrayed?

But with Ed now bound before him and in the grasp of two ruthless gang members and the merciless leader forcing his hand to move his gun to Ed's forehead, he knows that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

If the team doesn't arrive soon he knows his cover could stand a good chance of being blow and then both he and Ed would be casualties in a very ugly turf war.

"Kill him now," the leader looks at Wordy before his men tighten their grasp on Ed, forcing his bound arms a little further behind his back and Ed's firm expression to offer a fleeting wince of pain. "Or maybe you'd prefer a knife," the leader snarls. "How about a slow and painful death instead?"

"Wait," a voice states as it steps from the shadows forcing both Ed and Wordy to turn and look and each offer fleeting expressions of shock and surprise. They were betrayed but by…him? How was this possible? He was supposed to be in jail.

"What the hell do _you _want?" The leader demands in anger.

"I have a better idea for officer Lane. That is unless _anyone _objects," he speaks directly to Wordy.

"Oh really? And what the hell might that be?" The leader wonders.

"A slow and painful death of course but at the hands of…"

_What? _Both Ed and Wordy lock eyes – was this the last time they'd see each other alive? Was it really going to end like this?

XXXXXXXX

**~4 hours earlier~**

"You know Ed sharing texts during working hours I think is against rules or something…unless you share," spikes teases their team leader after he and Sam witness Ed reading a text and then sharing a cryptic smile with only himself.

"Yeah didn't you get in trouble for that once?" Sam jibs Spike.

"I did and I had to share. Think it's a love note?"

"Oohh Ed Lane is passing love notes," Sam teases.

Ed looks up at them with a small frown forcing both Sam and Spike's smiles to instantly fade and serious expressions appear.

"But it...no not that," Sam frowns.

"Course an exception could be made…you know if you um…right so team meeting right?" Spike stammers, drawing a small smile to Ed's lips.

"It was from Wordy."

"Really?" Sam pipes up. "How's he doin'?"

"Workin' a big case but doin' fine. He can't share any details and I respect that," Ed answers with a small huff. But before he can linger and field any further oncoming questions from Spike and Sam, Ed takes his leave and heads off to the team room first.

"Ed Lane," Greg greets him with a smile. But when he notices his friends face tense he quickly surmises that something is wrong. "Bad news?"

"No," Ed pauses. "Just things are different with Wordy now. Our families still meet but…but when he's not working undercover things are fine but…"

"But?"

"But he's undercover right now and I feel…you know it's his job and I hafta respect that."

"You know it's not a trust issue right?" Greg counters softly.

"I know…it's just not the same and that takes some getting used to. He's undercover right now so plans for a BBQ on the weekend are moot."

"How long does he stay under?"

"He told me that he's only requested short stints and this one won't be that long. He said by the weekend it should be wrapped up but then he has to keep a low profile for a week after that just until the heat dies down and he's back on the streets again as one of us," Ed finishes with a hint of sorrow in his warm blue eyes.

"Wordy will be fine. Guess you're glad it's the end of the day," Greg states as he slowly eases himself down into a chair opposite Ed.

"End of the day," Ed echoes with a small frown.

"Okay…what is it? I know that famous Lane look and I don't like it," Greg slightly frowns as well. "What's really bugging you?"

"Something about Spencer's story just doesn't add up. I'm guessing that he just told us about that one stash of weapons but he has another hidden."

"Ed, let it go. It's not our problem any more. We saved his brother and now it's out of our hands. Let's just debrief and call it a night."

"Sounds good to me," Sam comments as him, Spike, Raf and Jules finally join them in the team one meeting room. Greg listens to the final input from his team but glances over at Ed every few minutes and knows that his team leader isn't going to let this one go that easily.

He knew Greg was right, he should just let it go but over the years he had learned how to read people and Spencer's comment followed by the sly wink told him that something just wasn't right and there was more to his story than he was telling them. He looks at his watch and frowns, it was late spring and the days still weren't that long and daylight had already fallen. Ed knows he's due at home for supper but still can't shake the nagging doubts inside his mind about another container of weapons waiting to be either discovered by the police and seized, or fall into the wrong hands and be sold on the streets in a burgeoning warf-turf war.

"Tell me you are going straight home," Greg warns Ed after the team had said their piece and left and it was just the two of them left it the silent room.

"I'm going straight home…one stop first."

"Ed," Greg starts in a warning tone.

"Hey can't a guy stop for some late night groceries?"

"Depends on what he's shopping for," Greg counters with a slight smirk.

"Greg…"

"Let it go Eddie, that's not a request," Greg states with a tight lipped smile.

"See you tomorrow," Ed merely mentions as he pushes himself up from the table and deftly walks toward the locker room to change and head home. He methodically changes into his dark jeans and sweater, grabs his leather jacket and then looks at his piece, his mind racing with conflict about going straight home or making a slight detour toward the waterfront. He wasn't exactly sure where the shipping container would be but knew the yard by the number Spike was able to decode from Spencer's last email to his buyer.

"It has to be there," Ed mumbles to himself as he takes the gun and then heads for the exit doors. The cool night air nips at his face as he heads for the black and silver Ford Flex in the quiet parking lot. He looks at the time and slightly curses, Sophie was expecting him and there could be hell to pay if he was late. He had promised her he wouldn't extend his working hours longer than he had to, but this just wouldn't die.

Gritting his teeth and offering a small curse mostly at himself, he heads in the opposite direction than he normally would after the day was done with the SRU. _I'll just take a quick look and if there is no suspicious activity, I'll call it a night, _his brain would repeat over and over – the main emphasis on _calling it a night. _But if there was suspicious activity he'd have to make the call and then explain why he had gone there and not just gone straight home; why he was along and if there was a gun sting why he could possibly ruin it.

Ed nears the quiet shipyard, his eyes darting around as he dims the headlights and then pulls up beside a quiet big rig and stops; his vehicle hidden from regular view. After taking a few deep breaths, he slowly gets out of the Flex and heads toward the entrance. Already his senses were on high upon seeing the thick chain cut and hanging askew to one side. But was it time to call in help? Maybe it was just a prank or kids looking for kicks as would sometimes happen.

With both his gun and phone within a seconds reach, Ed very carefully gets through the chain link gate and heads toward the area opposite where the original container was found.

_'Anything else to say Spencer?' _His own voice is heard as he heads further into the cool night air.

_'East is west.' _And with a small wink meant only for Ed, Spencer Ryan was taken away with a triumphant smile. The hostage taking of his brother had turned out to be a rouse as at the exact same moment, an arm's deal was going down. But thanks to some quick work by Spike, he was able to decode the message and send the gun squad to the deal and stop it just as the money and guns switched hands. It was a deal that Wordy wasn't involved in. But there had been a few other anomalies which led him to believe that something else was up. They of course were told to drop it and let the gun task force deal with it.

_'So it's going to be treated as a viable lead?' _Ed had asked one of the gun task officers after the arrest of Spencer was done.

_'He's a small player. For him to have access to even one container was a surprise. I'm sure once his buyers heard he was arrested and the first deal stopped they switched their dates and times. But we'll work on it, don't worry.'_

Ed had been around his brother long enough to know when they would take something seriously and when they wouldn't. Spencer Ryan's word was shaky at best and in the end they only took the arrest request seriously because Spike was able to find an email from another major underground arms supplier who 'happened' to be in town at the same time for a 'social visit' and to do some personal 'shopping'.

But Spencer was a braggart who was trying to make a name for himself with the arms buyers on the waterfront when his brother busted into his deal and ruined the whole thing. One dead body and one hostage later and then it was over; but Spencer was still trying to tell them he was the next big thing.

_'Lets see how big you'll be behind bars,' _was Ed's quip before he was placed into the police cruiser and taken away.

Ed's mind finally snaps back to attention as he hears a clinking sound in the distance. _Why am I here alone?, _was the thought that quickly races through his mind as he nears a darker part of the shipyard where he quickly notices two of the overhead lights were either broken or the bulbs taken out on purpose.

Ed's heart race quickens pace a little as he wanders further into the dark maze of thick shipping containers, each of them looking down at the lone SRU officer with smug smiles, knowing that very soon his fate would be delivered in a most unexpected way. Were they to warn him? No, it wasn't there place, they were just silent witnesses to nefarious deeds done under the cover of darkness by very bad people. Ed Lane would prove to them to be just another statistic – that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A hard lesson they had seen many learn over the years. But his wouldn't end as tragically as the rest, for that he'd be one of the lucky few.

He hears gruff voices talking in the distance and instantly draws his gun. Again the question _Why am I here alone _darts through his mind. However, he was no stranger to tense one man situations and tells himself that it could also be just a bunch of guys breaking some minor laws.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and instantly he stops and listens as his fingers fumble for the device. He looks at the bright LCD screen with a frown.

_'Can you also pick up some milk for breakfast. See you soon love S.' _

Milk…that would be next on his stop but for right now it would have to wait.

Turning his phone to completely silent and shoving it back into his pocket, Ed dares to move from place and head back toward the voices. There were two new ones that had joined the original two but he still wasn't able to make out much more than them talking about a deal and then laughing over something stupid one of the original ones mentioned.

Ed takes a deep breath as he nears the first dark container and pauses, his gun ready as he rounds the corner – looking at the empty passageway before him and exhaling a small sigh of relief before moving onto the next. He nears the voices and then pauses as the conversation gets a little more heated.

_"You said he'd be here by now!"_

_"Give him about ten more minutes."_

_"He'll be here."_

_"What if he doesn't show? What the hell do we do with all this stuff?" The first one asks again._

_"Just sit tight. We were told to come here and wait and that's just what we're gonna do!"_

As Ed nears the container over from the one with the men near it, he stops again to listen. The voice…the third man…sounds…

_Wordy? _His mind tries to register from the one short sentence that was uttered. A small feeling of uneasiness starts to cover him. What if Wordy's case was the one that Spencer had been bragging about? If that was the case then he had to leave, if this was the undercover op he'd regret being the one to bust Wordy's cover or worse force the deal to go south because he couldn't keep his curiosity at bay.

But he wasn't sure as the voice wasn't heard again amidst the trio that were now speaking in frustrated tones. What if this wasn't a sting? What if that wasn't Wordy? Doubt was now starting to settle in and he hated doubt.

_"What is Lyle's number?"_

Lyle Bedford, he was the number one suspected arms smuggler suspected to own the waterfront but never sticking around long enough to be actually fingered or arrested on anything more than circumstantial; always paying someone else to do his dirty work when it came to the physical body count. If Lyle was supposed to be here tonight for this drop then this could be a lot more serious than he or even Spencer Ryan had suspected.

Something wasn't adding up. Lyle Bedford would never do business with the likes of Spencer Ryan much less know the two bit criminal even existed. But unable to just turn around and walk away, Ed takes a few more steps and then stops to listen, his head turning to the direction he came and wondering for a few panicked seconds if he had hidden his vehicle well enough. If the plate was run and his name came up then it could be game over.

A few more steps takes him closer to his intended target. _Come on Wordy, _his mind begs, _say something buddy…let me know it's you before I do something…stupid._

But his friend doesn't speak again and so Ed tells himself that maybe he was just imagining things and it was time to call in help. So instead of moving closer, he takes a few steps back the way he came and pulls out his phone. He wasn't about to take the chance of his voice being heard, so opts to text a message instead. It wasn't a call to the team as it wasn't their area of expertise and he couldn't call Wordy in case he would get his friend in trouble by knowing something he shouldn't, which in reality he stumbled upon it by accident.

_'Hold position. Do not approach. We'll be there shortly.' _Was the only reply he got back and so had to choice but to wait and hope he wasn't found out before the good guys arrived. With the GPS on his phone still on active, Ed pushes himself into the shadows a bit more.

But then something happens that Ed doesn't quite expect. He sees a boy…about ten years old appear from the shadows and head for the group of gathering men. He didn't have time to ponder why a boy his age was out here alone, whether he was homeless, curious or merely lost? A decoy never entered into his mind, who would do that to their kid? And why? He had to get the boy and get him before either of them were seen.

Not seeing the set of narrowed eyes watching him from the shadows, Ed stuffs his gun into his jacket and carefully makes his way toward the boy. The boy turns just as he approaches and freezes in place.

"I won't hurt you," Ed whispers as he stops before him. "But you are not safe here, come with me."

"Actually it's _you_ that's not safe here," the boy looks at him with wide dark eyes. "Right father?"

"What?"

Ed's face turns into a frown just as he hears a sound behind him but it's to no avail. Time slows for him as his body turns at the same time his right hand goes for his gun. But it was too late. Something heavy connects with the right side of his face just atop his right eyebrow, forcing his world to explode with pain and his body to falter backwards, his hand dropping from its intended target. The heavy object next strikes his back, sending him to his knees and then to the cold, harsh ground before darkness quickly engulfs his now unmoving frame.

"Right son…not safe at all," the man looks down at Ed with a small sneer. He looks up just as three men appear from the shadows, two with angry expressions and one trying to conceal his shock and panic.

"Bring him."

_Ed? Oh damn what have you done?_

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><p><strong>AN: **Okay so what did you think? I tried to make this a bit eppy like with the timing and stuff and really hope it works and it's not lame. It's also my first real 'Ed' piece so am hoping I have him at least a little correct in here. So what happens when Ed wakes up and realizes what's going on? Will he blow anyone's cover? I would love your thoughts on this so please review and thanks in advance.


	2. Destinies Collide

**Title: ****Inside Man  
><strong>**Chapter 2 – Destinies Collide**

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><p>Wordy's mind races with a million questions; none of course were answerable without Ed's direct input. Why was Ed out here? And why was he alone? The SRU wasn't involved in this, so was Ed doing something on his own hunch? Wouldn't be the first time, Wordy's mind sighs as he watches his best friend being restrained by two of Lyle Bedford's goons. Of course he couldn't tell Ed he was undercover and surely he trusted Ed enough to know he wasn't about to break into secure police files and come here to stop the deal on his own? No that was wrong…something was up. But what? <em>Damn it Eddie, what the hell are you doing here?<em>

Wordy looks at Angelo's son and frowns. How many a good man had been lured into their own deathtrap by the seemingly innocent boy? Ed had taken the bait intended for any unwanted visitors and now he was racing to find ideas on how to keep his best friend alive while at the same time not blowing his cover.

After Ed's wrists were firmly tied behind his back, his gun, wallet and phone taken, he was dragged by two of the men toward one of the large containers and merely dumped on the ground at the feet of the gang leader.

"Who the hell is he?" Lyle Bedford's main business partner named Cody Hanson asks gruffly. This was a man who bought his guns from Lyle but still hadn't been caught. Tonight was supposed to have been the night when both Cody and Lyle would be in the same room at the same time.

"We found him snooping around outside," one of the other thugs pipes up.

"He only made himself known when Joey stepped into his view," Angelo smiles at his son. His smile however, turns to a frown when all he gets as his reward is an angry sneer from Cody after he had tossed Cody, Ed's wallet. He looks up and Wordy instantly feels his stomach lurch. _Ed, you're in real trouble buddy._

"You damn fools!" He shouts as he looks at Angelo, Wordy and the two others.

"So who is he? Some little rent a cop?" Angelo sneers?

"Hardly! His name is officer Ed Lane of the SRU. You idiots bring me a damn super cop?"

"We didn't know he was a cop!" Angelo argues back. As the right hand he, and only he had earned the right to argue back in public; so far. Those boundaries would be tested tonight by an outsider posing as one of them.

"Well better here than out there where he can cause more trouble! Phone!"

Wordy watches with gritted teeth as Angelo hands Cody the phone and then steps back into place, his heart racing now at top speed and his mind racing for the safety of his best friend. When he had first joined this department he was told to expect some surprises on operations but to just roll with it and make the best he could until help arrived. However, he was never told to expect the surprise to come in the form of his best friend now captive and in the hands of ruthless arms dealers who wouldn't hestitate to kill him.

"Who knew about this?" Cody demands.

"We didn't know," Angelo retorts.

"You didn't know? Right because regular people just love to lurk around these places in the dark – alone and with a damn gun and badge! And not only that, he's called for backup!" Cody yells as he throws Ed's phone to the floor and crushes it with his feet. "Someone knows...and that person...whoever dares to betray me will lie next to _him _when I am finished with him!"

_Damn it Eddie! __What were you doing here? _Wordy's mind curses in futility. Even if he could find a way to stall there was no way this group was going to wait around for the cops to show up and just willingly to go jail; the deal was moot. Time was closing in around them and fast.

"What do we do?" One of them asks in haste.

"We seal up this place and leave right now we might just make it! You two take him to the van and make sure he can't escape! Angelo, looks like he didn't give the bin number so we seal this place up and I'll contact Lyle and we'll make a new arrangement. I want my guns tonight despite our rude party crasher here. This is slated for shipment tomorrow so we can only hope that someone's screw up won't mean the end of their lives!"

"I say we kill him right now," Angelo hisses down at Ed's unconscious frame at his feet as he pulls his gun and aims it at Ed's head.

Wordy feels himself wanting to instantly defend his friend but if did come from him and he seemed too eager to keep a fellow officer alive, those actions could possibly jeopardize both their lives. Silence right now was best. That and sheer luck.

"No. He comes with us. We might need some collateral if this deal goes sour," Cody looks at the group with an expression that says not to question him again.

"We don't take cops as collateral," Angelo reminds him. And for a split second Wordy's hope were rising at the thought that they'd just leave Ed as he was and go their own ways. But that wasn't to be.

"He comes. Now let's move," and that was it, end of discussion. Even Angelo knew Cody would kill him right there for questioning him a second time, Ed was now officially their prisoner.

Within seconds the group was dispersing. Wordy watches helplessly for a few seconds as Ed is dragged away before he's ordered to help Angelo, hoping to overhear the next meeting place for Cody and Lyle. The location for the night's meeting was a surprise to him but since his GPS tracker was on, his team could track his movements silently and remotely since only Cody was allowed to have a phone on him at all times, the rest of them had to leave them back at their underground meeting place – which is where he suspected they would be taking Ed.

But as he eyes Ed's busted phone, Wordy knows that getting a message to the team wasn't going to be easy at all. He could only hope that his team was the one called and that if they were gone by the time the guns squad got to the shipyard they'd surmise that Ed was now a hostage and track his GPS. Rescue however, wasn't going to be easy either. Tonight wasn't going as planned.

"Okay get your ass to the van and then back to the fort," Cody tells Wordy as he locks the door and then both of them hurry toward the two waiting vehicles. Wordy hops in the back as Cody gets into his car with Angelo and his son and within seconds the place is dark and quiet once more, everyone scattering before anyone is caught.

Wordy looks down at Ed who was now gagged with duct tape and had his feet bound as well and feels his stomach tightening. If Ed was at least free, he could try to distract the driver long enough for Ed to make a distraction and possibly force the van to stop and him to fight his way out. But now with him being still unconscious and restrained he needed a new plan and fast.

"You take the front," the thug named Grant gestures to Wordy. "I'll watch him."

"Right," Wordy frowns as he slowly gets into the front seat.

A few moments later Ed feels his word slowly coming back to him. His mind flashes him images of him calling for help, getting the text message to wait, seeing the boy and then being struck in the face. However, as he fully comes to, he quickly realizes that it wasn't the world he wanted to come back to, nor the predicament he wanted to face.

His head was pounding from the hit and so was his back and chest, suspecting that while he was unconscious or just as he was losing consciousness his attackers got in a few rounds without him being able to fight back. His wrists were tightly tied behind his back and his feet were bound and his lips were covered with thick tape. It was a nightmare he was realizing he couldn't just walk away from right now.

Ed's slightly shifting in place, draws the attention of one of his captors who instantly pulls out a gun.

"Stop moving cop!"

"Grant you moron, put that thing away. He can't fight back!" The driver named Jack hisses forcing Wordy's face to slightly wince but his gaze fixed firmly out the front. Whatever he did now, he couldn't show, not even for a second that he was sympathetic to Ed. Cops were bad for business and he was supposedly in the gun running business; in their eyes Ed was his mortal enemy to whom he should now show no remorse. Tonight was going to be hell for both of them. Who would be the first to ask for forgiveness if they both survived?

Ed slowly lays his throbbing head back down on the cold metal floor of the dark van and closes his eyes for a few minutes. The windows only served to cast eerie shadows but at the angle he was at they didn't help him identify where they were going. They must have found the text on his phone when he was captured and he could only surmise that's why they were now on the move. Was he the main reason the deal went south? If so would any backlash face Wordy because of his actions? And if so again would that now strain their friendship?

Without trying to get himself into too much trouble with his captor's, Ed's fingers slowly start to feel the material keeping his wrists tightly restrained behind his back. Much to his dismay and chagrin, his fingers feel the hard plastic of the zip-tie edge and he knows that unless he's cut free or left alone long enough for him to cut through the hard plastic he wouldn't be getting free anytime soon without help.

"So we gonna kill him or what?" Grant asks, prompting Ed to look up in haste. With the tape pressed firmly over his lips, trying to talk his way out of this predicament was moot.

"No, you heard Cody…we might need him for collateral. Either way he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and will pay for it _one way or another_," Wordy finally manages, knowing that his angry sounding voice was more real than he wanted it to be.

Ed's mind quickly registers that that voice was indeed that of his former team member and current best friend, Kevin Wordsworth. _Oh damn Wordy, I'm sorry, _his mind laments in sorrow, knowing those last few words were directed to him personally.

"Fine," Grant grumbles as he looks down at Ed with a cross expression. "Kinda stupid to be out there all alone."

_Yeah I got that, _Ed's mind states sourly. Ed's eyes shift from the angry expression of his captor and rest on the black wall of the slow moving prison. He tries to tell himself that Wordy would find away to keep him safe but he had forced Wordy's hand in an unexpected and rather unfair way; in reality he didn't deserve any preferential treatment.

Wordy watches them near their destination of home base and quickly his mind starts to work on a plan to get Ed away from the gang or at least tell his team that Ed was now a hostage and they had to move fast as these guys were known for not taking any prisoners and the few they did died horrible deaths.

That's why it surprised him to hear Cody say that they might need Ed for collateral. What kind? Cody Hanson never bartered with anyone for anything – much less the police. He was more of a _shoot now, don't give a damn later_ kinda guy which is why he was Lyle Bedford's main business associate; both were merciless and vile. However, both were also smart. Wordy had been told of the body count before he went in as a hired goon and knew that while Cody and Lyle gave the kill orders, there were very few they actually took delight in killing.

Ed, however, was law enforcement. That could change things as the ones they ordered killed, or even killed themselves, no one – not even their mother's would miss them. This was a new and dangerous game one that they were now forced right into the middle of.

Ed feels the van coming to a stop and feels his anxiety skyrocket. Surely he was now overdue and Sophie would be trying him and then the boss. There were times her worry over his tardiness was taxing on his mental wellbeing, tonight he would welcome it if got his team involved. Spike could trace his GPS and that should trigger them to wonder why he was there. He'd deal with Greg's wrath if he actually made it out of this alive. Wordy was another issue.

"Take him to the holding area," Jack the driver demands of Grant.

Being of a rather good size himself, it wasn't that much a burden for Grant to grab Ed's jacket, drag him to the back of the van and then sling him over his shoulder despite Ed's size. Ed twists his head around, desperately looking for Wordy but only able to curse his own ignorance at not seeing his friend. They enter a warm, musty smelling building; Grant carrying him toward a small area that was cordoned off by mesh fencing that held a desk some boxes and a few other bulky items and fairly dumps Ed's already throbbing frame to the ground.

Ed's lips offer a muffled grunt under the tape gag as he lands harshly on his side. He watches the thug leave the small area and then he's alone once again. But he wasn't about to just lie on his side and wait to be rescued, as that might never happen – he had to escape.

With both his wrists and ankles bound, moving around into an upright sitting position was a true test and a slow process. But once upright, he leans his head back against a wooden beam for a few minutes, trying to catch his breath and hoping the cut above his right eye doesn't reopen. He quickly studies the building, noticing that it was indeed a fortress with only two small windows, each with an armed man standing guard.

He hears muffled voices getting louder and quickly shifts his focus to that of finding something to cut his wrists free with. He spies a small piece of glass and slowly shuffles toward it. But just as his hands touch the glass and curl around it, he hears a noise from behind and quickly looks up to see a familiar face looking down with a frown.

"So much for a quiet night."

_Wordy…buddy I'm so sorry, _Ed's mind laments as his soulful blue eyes beg for his friend's forgiveness.

"You're in trouble, you know that right? And I don't just mean from him."

_Yeah k__ick my ass later, just help me get out of here, _Ed tries to request in futility.

"You know it's a good thing they gagged you Eddie," Wordy whispers. "That means I'm in charge now. I'll be back in a bit if I can so sit tight. Just pray we both survive tonight and follow my lead no matter what I do. I'll say damn you later."

With a small wince and a nod Ed watches his friend leave and then wastes no time in moving the piece of glass into his fingers a bit better and then slowly and somewhat painfully tries to rub the edge against the hard plastic. However, about ten minutes later all he does is succeed in working himself into a needless sweat without making a dent in the plastic binding. He really was stuck. But his moments of solitary respite were short lived as Ed looks up just as Cody Hanson appears with a placid expression.

"Enjoying my hospitality?" Cody smiles as he undoes the lock to the cage and enters, kneeling down a few feet away from Ed's captive frame. "So…" he pauses as he rips the tape from his lips. "Don't get used to that. The opportunity to beg for your life ended the moment you came into mine. But I would like to know however, what you were doing out there alone on my turf? Pretty ballsy if you ask me."

"I could say I was in the wrong place at the wrong time or following up a different lead," Ed slightly swallows from the dry dust. "Would it matter?"

"Not really Ed Lane," Cody huffs. "You see I don't like cops, they are bad for business so that means I don't like you. You will die but now the choice is yours. See isn't that grand of me?"

"Yeah swell," Ed retorts in sarcasm.

"Option A is quick and pain_less_ or Option B is slow and pain_ful_."

"I'll take Option C."

"Sadly for you Option C isn't very desirable either and it involves all my men and you as you are."

"Then I am going to be highly predicable and say that you made a very big mistake and I'd like my one phone call."

"Well I have made a few mistakes over the years, but kidnapping you is one I am willing to live with."

"Look I placed a call…"

"Yes and by now the shipyard is swarming with your team members. However, that won't help you much as unless you knew were we were taking you, I'd say your fate is pretty much sealed. Unless by some slim chance of fate someone actually knows where you are?"

Despite the fact that Wordy was standing only a few feet to his left listening to all this and watching in silent torment, Ed knows he dares not even flinch for a millisecond in his friend's direction. He'd just have to endure whatever this madman had in mind until Wordy was able to put something into place. So without uttering a word in his futile defense, Ed only keeps his determined blue eyes locked with the soulless black ones before him, not backing down.

"Thought as much. I can't help but notice your courage and defiance Ed Lane," Cody leans back with a small frown before he meanly backhands Ed, forcing his head to snap to the right and his eyes to squeeze in pain; Wordy's stomach instantly tightening. "However, I hate defiance and your courage will be short lived. I think I'll take personal pleasure in killing you myself. Gag him again please."

"Liste…" is all Ed manages before another strip of tape is pressed down over his mouth, forcing him to finish his futile plea with an angry curse.

"Come now," Cody gestures to his men after he locks Ed back in the open cage. "We have business to tend to. I'll be back for you a bit later. In the meantime you might try pondering your fate against what I did to the last cop that dared to cross me. I think you read about it in the papers. I do wonder...think they found all of him?" Cody winks as he turns to leave.

Ed's bound feet try to kick the dirt in anger but that only elicits a small mocking chuckle from his captor and a sympathetic gaze from his best friend before he's left alone once again.

XXXXXXXX

"Hey Sophie," Greg answers his phone, looking at the clock on the stove with a frown. It was almost eleven and he as usual wasn't able to sleep just yet.

_"I was wondering if Ed was pulling a double shift? I talked to him a few hours ago but he's still not home."_

"He uh…really? Have you tried his cell?"

_"A few times and it just rings. I can't even leave a message," Sophie relates with a small sigh. _

"Okay let me check on something and I'll call you back," Greg tells her as he hangs up. "Damn it," he sighs as he tries Ed's cell number. But upon getting the same dead set of endless rings in return he hangs up and then dials the SRU night shift operator.

"Paul, any chance you seen Ed Lane around there?"

_"Uh no Sir. Do you want me to try paging him?"_

"Yes I do."

As he waits, Greg's mind now wonders if Ed had take foolishly followed that hunch and gone to the shipyards on his own.

_"No sorry he's not here. Want me to try again?"_

"No that's great thanks Paul," Greg offers just before he hangs up. He looks at the time once more and frowns. It was late and he knows how much Spike's family hated anyone to call after he had gotten home with work stuff but Ed's life might be depending on it so he had to chance it.

_"Hey boss what's up?" Spike's usual chipper voice is heard._

"I need you to track the GPS's to Ed's Flex and let me know where it is. Can you do that from home?"

_"Yeah but uh…what's going on?"_

"Not sure yet. Just let me know when you find it."

_"Okay, I'm on it."_

Greg wastes no time in hanging up and then getting dressed to go out just in case; the nagging feeling in his stomach not going away. Just as he pulls on his coat, the phone rings and he's quick to answer it. "Spike what did you find?"

_"I found Ed's car boss…but um…it's down by the waterfront and it's not moving.__ I also tracked his phone's GPS's last location to there also and then it was gone. Boss what's going on?"_

"Damn it Eddie," Greg curses audibly as he heads for the door.

_"Boss?"_

"Sorry Spike, I don't know yet but pack up that computer and be ready to go in five. I'm on my way over right now."

Greg speeds over to Spike's place, his mind wondering what kind of trouble Ed had gotten himself into. It was already a few hours after he had left SRU headquarters, was he missing that long? Did he stumble upon something he wasn't supposed to?

XXXXXXXX

His body was sore, his head still pounding and frustrated anger was still coursing rapidly through his veins. It was late but by now a call about his whereabouts had to have been placed by his paranoid wife.

Ed's eyes quickly shift back to a noise and he looks up to see one of the thugs watching him intently.

"Too bad no one knows you're here eh?" He snickers, forcing Ed to just narrow his gaze in return. "Maybe I'll have my turn before you die…maybe now."

Ed turns away from the thugs gaze and tries to focus his mind on something other than his own sinking demise. _Sophie has probably called Greg by now and he's probably made a few calls of his own, _his brain tries to reason. But as he looks back up at the goon and then hears some angry talking coming from the group that just departed he knows that unless they were already looking and tied his call to Wordy's case and tracked Wordy's GPS, he might not actually survive long enough to make amends especially to his best friend who might have to actually be party to his death; or worse be responsible for it?

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay so I had originally intended this to be a one possibly two-shot at the most but wanted to add a bit more details and wasn't sure how long to make the chappies. So am going to add a few more chappies if that's okay and please review and let me know what you think might happen next to Ed and Wordy.


	3. Out of Time?

**Title: ****Inside Man  
><strong>**Chapter 3 – Out of Time? **

**A/N**: I have combined the remaining 4 shorter chappies into 2 longer ones so hope that's okay b/c I didn't want to leave anything out. To those that didn't come back I am sorry I let you down, to the rest I do really appreciate your time to read and value your reviews and hope you like this as much as the first two. Thank you in advance.

* * *

><p>"Any grief from your parents?" Greg asks as he picks up Spike in front of his darkened home.<p>

"Dad was asleep and I left before my ma could give me the third degree about me needing sleep and being offically off the clock. But um…what's going on?"

"Spike…I honestly don't know. I could guess a million times over but I won't do that," Greg repeats with a small sigh as they near the waterfront. But as they do they aren't greeted with only Ed's lone Ford Flex in the parking lot, they are instantly immersed into a world of buzzing activity and actively flashing red and blue lights. "There's Ed's car but I don't see him...boss?"

"Let's go see what's going on?"

Both Greg and Spike get out of the black SRU truck that Greg had taken home with him and head for the first officer they see.

"Who's in charge here?"

"Over there," the uniformed officer directs Greg. "Detective Raymond Parks."

"Thanks," Greg nods to Spike to follow as they slowly head past a few more officers, Greg flashing his badge as they approach the man in charge. "Excuse me? Detective Parks?"

"Yeah what's up?" The man asks gruffly before turning to look at Greg and Spike with a frown. "You two lost or somethin'?"

"Sergeant Gregory Parker of the SRU. My team member belongs to that Ford Flex and we are just wondering if he's around here."

"Ed Lane by any chance?"

"Yeah. Where is he?"

"We don't know. Best guess is he was captured by whoever was out here and by that whoever we think is Cody Hanson."

"The big arms dealer?" Spike frowns.

"Yeah. What the hell was a member of the SRU doing down here the night of a big gun sting in the first place and alone I might ask?"

"It was a mistake I can assure you," Greg offers in haste not daring to look at Spike.

"You're damn right it was. Do you..."

"Do you know for sure he was captured?" Greg quickly interupts before Parks can voice what he's thinking.

"Well we got his text and told him to stay put as the sting wasn't supposed to go down for another hour; your man forced them to up their timeframe, thanks a lot Ed Lane. But as to where he is, either he doesn't listen and is playing a very annoying game of hide and seek with us or he's been taken – by them…for sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. I'm sorry to say Sargeant Gregory Parker but this is…"

"If he's a hostage then it's…" Spike tries to pipe up, only garnering himself an angry glare from the frustrated Detective.

"Look I get that you're all upset about your lone wolf and this is normally your area of expertise but his welfare is not my top priority right now. It's taken me a few months and one dead officer to even get a location for tonight's meeting; which thanks to your man now possibly went south. I was able to get a man on the inside by literally buying our way in, so if your man was taken and is still alive that's his best bet. But I wouldn't hold my breath," he concludes with a grimace. "Sorry."

"The inside man…you sure you can trust him?"

"Kevin Wordsworth – you tell me," he offers with a frown. "Now there is nothing you can do to help as we have to let some time pass so our man knows that his cover is still intact."

"How do you know where he is?"

"Sorry I can't tell you that but we do," Detective Parks retorts in haste. "Now if you'll excuse me, I got a botched deal to try to salvage; that is my top priority right now. As soon as I hear about your man I'll let you know, but don't expect that anytime soon, good or bad."

"Detective Parks..."

"Goodnight Seargant Parker."

"Oh gee that's…boss that's bad," Spike offers with a frustrated huff. "What do we do? If they got Ed then…"

"Spike, right now we do nothing."

"Do nothing? Are you serious?"

"Spike, we can't get involved; we can't go against orders. If Ed's alive the only chance he has is Wordy and we can't jeopardize that."

"What do you mean if?"

"Come on…let's get back to base."

XXXXXXXX

Wordy looks up and sees the goon named Jack jiggling the lock to Ed's cage and frowns. He would be torn all night between keeping Ed safe as best he could and saving his own ass without making it look like he was sympathetic toward his helpless friend. _You owe me big time Eddie, _Wordy's mind laments as he pokes Angelo in the ribs and then gestures toward Jack who was about to enter the cage and rough up his captive friend.

"Grant, get away from him now! You have work to do," Angelo demands and Jack's quick to comply.

Ed watches him leave but knows his alone time is short lived. Even if Lyle Bedford wasn't going to show for the actual drop, Cody Hanson was still scary enough, a ruthless villain with no regard for life and a history of killing police officers in slow painful ways to set an example and tell others to back off or suffer the same fate.

With nothing else to lose but time, Ed focuses all his energy in once again gripping the small piece of jagged glass and trying desperately to cut through the hard plastic binds. _Come on Wordy…help me out here. A distraction…something buddy…just a few minutes to get to that back door._

Wordy's mind was a raging war of two different emotions. He was placed with this group very carefully but with a very important task, to get invited to the drop location and then witness a gun/money exchange by Cody Hanson; Lyle Bedford was the icing as they didn't know he was the actual buyer tonight, the real target was Hanson. However, the war was now waged between loyalty to the job which ultimately meant his life or that of his best friend's life which is now hanging in the balance.

He stands in place as Cody talks to Angelo and Grant, knowing that he cannot make a move at all, even asking to go for a fake cigarette would immediately draw undue attention to himself in a bad way. One slip and Ed's life would be over.

"Okay hold down the fort I'm going to talk to Lyle and see what the next move is. No one touches the cop, is that clear?" Cody tells the team, getting a few mumbled 'understood' in return.

Wordy's eyes dart around the men flanking him on all sides, casually milling around but also standing in front of the room where they were told to leave all their personal effects. He had to get to his phone and get a message to Greg. If Greg knew that Ed was their hostage he could get in touch with his captain and they could form a plan to get them both out safely and hopefully without blowing his cover. Unless Greg already knew? Surely Sophie would notice Ed not being home yet and make a call? But he could take that chance? He had to do something. But fate wasn't going to go easy on him just yet. Just as he sees an opening to the small room an angry voice taunting his friend immediatly stops him, cutting off his chance.

"Hey cop!" Wordy hears and instantly his attention shifts to the small cage-like holding area where Ed was being held prisoner. Despite the fact that Cody had given the order, some of the men didn't care, they wanted a piece of the trapped officer.

"How does it feel to be all helpless knowing you're gonna die?"

Two of the thugs had wandered over and were taunting his helpless friend through the cage. As much as he hated the things they were saying he knows Ed has a thick skin and they are just words. However, as soon as the lock was pulled again his defenses go into overdrive; Ed was defenseless and these guys were wanting to get a few hits in.

"He's have some fun with him first."

"Yeah he can't do anything about it," the other snickers.

_Damn it! _Wordy curses as he elbows one of the goons beside him and then nods toward Ed.

"Hey guys!" The previous van driver named Grant, calls out. "Get out of there now."

"He's gonna die anyways!" One of them growls. "I want a piece before Cody gets all the fun; I hate cops just as much."

"Okay then Cody can take that fun from your hide since you are denying him," Wordy counters angrily. "I wouldn't defy Cody, what about you?"

The thug just about to hit Ed pulls back and looks at Wordy and Grant with a narrowed gaze.

"You heard the man. Do you really want to take my fun away from me?" Cody's angry voice bellows as he reenters the room. "If that's the case then you shall take officer Lane's place. Do you want that?"

"No Sir," the thug pulls back with a scowl, Ed breathing a small, short lived sigh of relief.

"Good. Okay we have new orders to follow. We'll be with you soon enough officer Ed Lane. Thank you for your patience," Cody calls out, forcing Ed to just offer a whispered curse in the arm's dealer's name and roll his eyes. Wordy feels himself swallowing down a thick lump of tension before he joins the group, his mind praying for some kind of divine intervention. Little did he know but the night was going to get a lot worse before it got any better.

"Before I tell you what new direction Lyle has for us I have a special job for one of you," Cody finishes and then looks directly at Wordy. "It's William right?" Cody addresses Wordy by his undercover name.

_Special job? What the hell? For me? No...this isn't part of the plan, what the hell is going on? _Wordy's mind instantly races in terrified wonder. Was he really on the phone with Lyle? Or was it someone else? An insider? Was his cover now blown? Or was it that he had just reinforced his order and was therefore being given a special reward? Cody was known to do that. Whatever the motive he knows one thing, Cody Hanson lives for an eye for an eye, if he wanted something done, he'd want to collect something in return. What was really going on?

"Yes Sir."

"Excellent. Well William you have an amazing opportunity before you right now. I know you, much like each of you here would die for me to prove your loyalty. However, with this task you get to prove your loyalty to this brotherhood and to myself in ways greater than death. You will get your hands dirty for me and probably enjoy doing it very much."

"I'm your man," Wordy answers firmly, a sick feeling starting to develop in the pit of his stomach. "What do I have to do?"

"You must kill officer Ed Lane for me."

_WHAT! Oh god no…__no…anything but that._

XXXXXXXX

"How can they just expect us to wait here and do nothing?" Spike asks as he and Greg enter the quiet area of the team one meeting room. "Should I call the others?"

Greg looks at Spike and frowns before he finally nods in agreement. "They should be here in case something happens. He's our team leader and right now needs us most if for nothing else but to pray both of them come out of that alive."

"I'll call them," Spike volunteers as he quickly reaches for the phone, calling Sam first, Jules and then Raf.

Greg nervously paces the team one meeting room, his eyes darting at the chair his friend had occupied only hours earlier and his anxiety skyrockets.

"Eddie…why," he groans to himself as he stifles a small yawn. It was late and they were all tired. Best case scenario, Wordy would find a way to save his own ass, keep his cover and get Ed out alive. Worst case scenario they would both be killed tonight and Ed would take teh blame.

But in reality, as he watches Spike enter and as they both settle in to wait for the team, he knows inside they cannot make a move without being told it was okay. One wrong move on anyone's part could result in their ultimate demise and that was a gamble they were not willing to make.

"So boss, what's going on?" Sam asks as the rest of the team enters the meeting room with wondering expressions.

"Ed's been kidnapped…by Cody Hanson."

"What?"

XXXXXXXX

"Bring me officer Lane," Cody demands of Jack and Grant, ensuring with his words and gaze that Wordy remains in place.

Wordy hears a few snickers and cat calls as Grant and Jack head for the small enclosure, cut the duct tape binding Ed's feet and dragging him from the cell, hardly allowing him to walk. Wordy's face fights the urge to wince as he hears his friend forced to endure unsavory names and uncalled for comments. The cut above his eye had for the most part closed, but the bruising around his right eye mixed with some blood and dirt were adding to his roughed up apperance.

"Now William take a good look at the source of my current irritation."

Ed looks directly at Wordy and for the first time in probably since he's known Wordy, he didn't want to know what his best friend was thinking toward him. He was now to blame for putting them both in this predicament and if both of them lived there would be emotional hell to pay. If he had just stayed away, Wordy would have led his team to the first deal and they'd possibly be laughing about this in a few days. Now he feared he'd be dead in a few minutes and his best friend having to live forever with that guilt. Of course he knows Wordy never would kill him so would it now mean both their lives? _What have I done, _Ed's mind laments.

Wordy looks at Ed and then back at Cody. The remorse and regret hiding behind Ed's stoic sapphire orbs was eating away at his interior. He could tell Ed was scared – but scared that his foolish actions could cost both of them their lives; not that of the two men keeping a firm grip on him.

"Officer Lane was trying to crash my party," Cody sneers as he walks up to Ed who was still held firmly in the grasp of the two thugs. "Isn't that right officer Lane?" Cody hisses in Ed's ear. With the tape still hindering his speech, Ed only looks forward, his eyes kept past Wordy for fear the connection would be detected.

"Well I hate party crashers as much as I hate cops," Cody growls in a loud angry tone, his face inches from Ed's. "However I intend to remedy myself of that right now."

"William, come here," Cody demands of Wordy.

Wordy refuses his brain's request to swallow and slowly steps forward. For a split second his world stops as Cody produces a gun and then holds it up to him.

"Take this please."

Wordy takes the gun as he feels all eyes burning into his very soul, his heart rate nearing critical.

"Now I want you to kill officer Ed Lane; you have sixty seconds to obey me."

XXXXXXXX

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Sam grumbles as he finishes his pacing and slumps back down into the chair beside Jules.

"We can't jeopardize Wordy's cover in any way," Greg tries to explain.

"But can he just blow his cover to protect Ed in any way? No."

"Ed's faced tense situations before guys, you know that," Greg tries to remind them.

"Why was he even there?" Sam dares to ask the one question they all were. But Greg doesn't answer; the truth would hurt too much and right now he needed himself and his team to focus.

"Tense is one thing, but he's been kidnapped by an arms dealer. This guy Cody Hanson isn't exactly known for showing loving hospitality to cops," Jules pipes up before Greg has to.

"Wordy will take care of it. We have to believe that," Greg interjects.

"Yeah if he can," Raf pipes up.

"Meaning?" Sam looks at their newest team member with a heavy frown.

"Meaning this guy Hanson is one bad dude but sources on the street say he's got friends on the inside; and I mean law enforcement."

"I'm not liking this," Spike looks at Greg in dread. "What if he gets some insider info that Wordy is a cop?"

"And what if that insider forces his hand with Ed's life?" Jules adds.

"Team we are speculating and none of that might happen. Ed might just endure some rough handling and that'll be it. Detective Parks said that Wordy has a GPS and is due to check in less than an hour. If he doesn't they move in."

"An hour? Both of them could be dead a few times over in that time frame," Spike retorts.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Greg states with some pessimism in his tone.

"And if it does? There is no way Wordy will kill Ed," Sam mentions grimly. "We all know that."

"Then they'll both be dead. We can't allow that to happen."

"So what can we do? Just sit and wait until that happens?" Spike asks impatiently. "Why can't we go in?"

"Because I just got a call from the Inspector and he said it's not our call and we have to wait. I hate it just as much but this is one order I have to follow. This is their deal and there are bigger things at stake right now," Greg explains as he quickly looks down as his phone buzzes to life with a new message.

"Yeah? Like what?" Sam grumbles.

"Like possibly nailing both Cody Hanson and Lyle Bedford."

"Bedford?" Raf counters at Greg just as his phone buzzes again.

"I don't like that look," Jules says softly as she feels her stomach tighten from fear. "Bad news?"

"Actually yes…Spencer Ryan has escaped and is suspected to be heading for the meeting."

"That's the guy Ed arrested today, right?" Spike queries.

"That bad feeling just got worse," Jules whispers.

XXXXXXXX

Wordy stands before his captive best friend and former partner and feels his anxiety skyrocket. This wasn't supposed to happen. He had been working this gang for a few weeks and tonight was the night of the big deal and he was just going to be a spectator, a hired goon; helping with the goods but nothing more. However, that was now moot when Ed had been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and was now their prisoner. But was this just by chance? Was there someone else involved? Who knew he was undercover? Who really was on the phone? He was cleared before he went in and knew of no other under cover officer working the same case. Was he betrayed?

But with Ed now bound before him and in the grasp of two ruthless gang members and the merciless leader forcing his hand to move his gun to Ed's forehead, he knows that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

If the team doesn't arrive soon he knows his cover could stand a good chance of being blow and then both he and Ed would be casualties in a very ugly turf war.

"Kill him now," Cody Hanson demands of Wordy as his men tighten their grasp on Ed, forcing his bound arms a little further behind his back and Ed's firm expression to offer a fleeting wince of pain. "Or maybe you'd prefer a knife," the leader snarls. "How about a slow and painful death instead, Officer Lane? Option B is still available."

"Wait," a voice states as it steps from the shadows forcing both Ed and Wordy to turn and look and each offer fleeting expressions of shock and surprise. They were betrayed but by Spencer Ryan? How was this possible? He was supposed to be in jail.

"What the hell do _you _want?" Cody demands in anger.

"I have a better idea for Officer Lane," the recently released Spencer Ryan pipes up as he walks up to them, standing before Ed's helpless frame with a defiant stare. "Hello again. Miss me? Don't look so tough now do you without all your friends and fancy weapons?"

"Don't waste my time Ryan," Cody growls.

"Oh trust me I wouldn't dream of it. But a mere bullet won't do for dear officer Lane here. I have a much better idea."

"And what the hell might that be? I'm losing my patience. So either tell me or you'll lie next to him – at the same time."

"Fine," Spencer looks directly at Ed as he talks. "A slow and painful death of course but at the hands of…your biggest rival."

"Pardon? You want me to give him to Darren Lockhart? Why?"

"A peace offering. You give him to your biggest rival in a show of good faith and let him dispose of the body. You two make amends and then we are back in business," Spencer finishes with a smile as he turns back to Cody. "It's really a win win situation for all of us. Lockhart takes the fall for his death and you are King of the world."

_What? _Both Ed and Wordy lock eyes – was this the last time they'd see each other alive? Was it really going to end like this?

XXXXXXXX

_No…no…no…_Wordy's mind races round in panicked circles. If Ed fell into Lockhart's hands it would be game over for sure. Lockhart's lair was a fortress and it was also a man-made dead zone, GPS didn't work at the flip of a switch and Ed would be dead before they even made headway through the gates. He had to do something and fast.

Cody looks at Ryan and narrows his gaze before turning to Wordy with a small frown.

"Any objections William?" Cody asks with a slight sneer.

"Actually yes," Wordy turns and looks directly at Ryan, the gun still fixed firmly in his hand; his heart racing at top speed. "This guy was arrested today. How the hell do we know he'll make the drop to Lockhart instead of us walking into a trap set by cops?"

"Ah yes Ryan the man does have a point, you were with the cops today – we all know that."

"Yeah but what this guy doesn't know is I have friends in high places, the same friend, actually that you have. I won't mention names," he smiles at Wordy, not giving out loud the name of the crooked cop that helped him escape, "but I think you know that money speaks volumes in there."

"What's he talking about?" Wordy looks from Ryan back to Cody.

"Actually he could be telling the truth, we both have the same friend on the inside and his release could have been secured by a source. Give me a few minutes to confirm that."

Wordy watches Cody pull his phone and waits the tormented seconds before he gets the answer he wants and tells the rest of the group.

"Seems Mr. Ryan is telling the truth. Now we may continue."

"A crooked cop, fine. So now what?" Wordy huffs as he takes a step back and looks at Cody. He wasn't in a position of authority with the gang and Angelo was the right hand man to Cody Hanson, he wasn't. Could he chance to continue to argue for his best friend's life? Or could the transfer to Darren Lockhart actually work to his advantage?

"So now…we have an interesting choice here," Cody starts in a mocking tone as he walks back up to Ed. "I could either let my biggest rival kill you or do it myself…well my man here."

Ed just stares at him with a determined gaze, hoping that the now quiet room wouldn't hear the madly beating tempo of his heart or his mind praying for divine intervention. Cody takes the gun from Wordy's grip, places it under Ed's chin and then forces his head up a bit as he leans in once more.

"Tell me officer Lane, are you afraid? You should be. I will forgive you for not answering me," Cody smiles, his smug words producing a trickle of snickers from the men standing watch. Cody then turns back to Wordy and hands him the gun. "It's your call William. What fate to you think will best fit defiant officer Lane?"

Now all Wordy could do is pray for intervention. If he opted for the transfer, would anyone suspect he was stalling for time to keep his friend alive for as long as possible? If he opted for the kill, could he ensure that something would be said to stop his actions and Ed's life would be spared?

Either scenario was grim and time was already out.

"Why the hell is he getting to make the damn decision? He's a hired goon!" Ryan hisses as he marches up to Wordy, snatches the gun and then marches up to Ed and sticks the gun in his chest and cocks the trigger. "I want him dead!" He shouts into Ed's face. "Right now!"

"So I see. I take it this is the man that arrested you earlier?"

"Yes and I want him to pay!"

Cody walks up and stands beside Ryan and calmly takes the gun from his grasp. "Well officer Lane, looks like your time has run out. I'll call Lockhart right now and tell him that a special prize is on its way!"

_NO! _Wordy's mind shouts as he watches Ed start to futility struggle in his captor's grasp.

"Anyone object?" Cody looks directly at Wordy and wonders.

"I still don't trust his plan," Wordy nods at Ryan who only glares back in contempt.

"Well then you and Grant can accompany Mr. Ryan and the ever so accommodating officer Lane to the drop off. The rest of us have a deal to tend to."

_Oh damn it! _Wordy's mind curses once more. He wasn't team one any longer, and his first priority wasn't to Ed it was to his own team and he had to be there for the deal, his team was counting on it. If he left not only could his life be in danger, but his job as well. But at the same time a fellow officers life was in dire jeopardy and he had to think about that as well. Then something struck, an obscure idea he just prays works. So without warning, Wordy storms up to Ed, placing his left hand on his neck and only faking a tight squeeze while the other lands a rather pulled punch to his stomach, forcing Ed to falter in his captor's grasp. It wasn't that hard but hard enough to tell Ed _and_ those around that he was pissed and for good reason.

"Yeah thanks for being so accommodating officer Lane. Now I have to miss the deal to transport your worthless ass while my friends here get to have all the fun," Wordy growls as he turns back to Cody. "No offense but why the rush? Seems he's in a real hurry to get officer Lane here out of the picture and himself out of this location," Wordy steps back, knowing Ed will have a few choice words for him later.

"I am not," Spencer argues back.

"I am growing tired of this," Cody sighs as he marches up to Ed, grabs him by the arm and merely drags him back to the cage, shoving him inside and then locking the door; not bothering to bind his feet once more. "Bedford will be here very soon which means officer Lane has earned a short stay of execution. So we do the deal, I get my weapons, he gets his money, William and Ryan here can deliver officer Lane to Lockhart and we are all home in time to watch Letterman. Any objections?"

Wordy looks at Ryan and then back at Cody before shaking his head in agreement. Ed's life was spared for now, but he knows he won't get that break again. Time was running out and he was down to the wire and out of aces.

"Okay so we have jobs to do…let's get to them."

Wordy glances at his watch and frowns. His time to check in was almost up and soon his team would arrive. However, if they came before the deal went down this could also delay his time undercover with this gang and that was something he didn't want. He quickly glances over to Ed's holding cell and curses. Either way, rescue was going to be unpleasant. _Hold on Ed…just a bit longer buddy._

Ed's already tired and throbbing frame connects oddly with the harsh ground as he lands on his side and he rests for a few seconds, allowing the dust to settle and his lungs to try to breathe through his nose normally once again. With his feet unbound, he was able to get up easier than last time but he knew he had to do something to try to escape. Wordy had helped to buy him some time, but he knows he can't count on that again, he wasn't about to force his friend's hand if at all possible for a second time. Escape was now up to him.

Getting to his knees, Ed peers over a table and watches the group milling around. His eyes fix on Wordy and he sighs, wishing he could just shout out _I'm sorry buddy _and be done with it. However, those amends would have to wait. He didn't even want to think about the tongue lashing Greg was going to give him once he was back at SRU headquarters; that is if he wasn't suspended for his actions.

Lyle Bedford or Darren Lockhart, both were hard core and men not to tread lightly. Falling into the grasp of either one in his helpless condition would be a confirmed death sentence. But if Wordy was working a deal and it was going down tonight then he had to count on the fact that he'd just have to sit tight and wait for Wordy's team to rush in for the much needed rescue.

But just as Ed's about to pull his gaze away from his best friend and inspect his surroundings for another escape route, he hears a small snicker and while still on his knees, twists his head to the right to see Spencer Ryan watching him intently.

"Hello officer Lane. You're coming with me. Someone's expecting you," he whispers as he pulls open the lock and Ed feels himself automatically swallow. This wasn't part of the plan.

XXXXXXXX

"Great so now we got Intel that not only has Ed been kidnapped by a ruthless arms dealer and might have put Wordy's undercover sting in jeopardy, but we are told that Spencer Ryan has escaped and might be going to the same party?" Sam utters in frustration.

"Ryan hates Ed," Jules huffs. "How did he escape anyways?"

"Apparently a benefactor has paid well for Ryan's released," Greg relays the information as he reads it off Spike's computer screen. "An inside man."

"So maybe this guy Ryan isn't just some two bit hood as we all suspected," Raf interjects.

"Ed might have been right," Jules huffs.

"They followed the money back to a rookie officer named Carlos Dante," Greg quickly interjects as he watches Sam wanting to make a comment after Jules about Ed's appearance at the shipyard a few hours earlier.

"Dante? Any relation to Diego Dante?" Raf wonders.

"You know him?" Spike looks at him in wonder.

"Yeah man I got friends in low places," Raf smirks. "However, Diego Dante is one bad dude, and the right hand man of Darren Lockhart."

"Another big arm dealer, great," Spike groans. "This just keeps getting better and better."

"So Ed is now with them?"

"Guys we don't know that yet," Greg insists. "All we know is it's a deal that involves Cody Hanson and Spencer Ryan has escaped."

"I hate sitting here just speculating," Sam moans as he gets up and starts to pace a bit more.

"I do too but we can't move in. As much as we know this is a hot call, it's not our call to take. We have to wait on Detective Parks for word before we can move in; it's his deal and he needs it to happen. Ed is a hostage and when they storm in he'll be released. We have that order and as much as we hate it, we have to obey," Greg explains.

"Can't we help with the takedown?" Spike inquires.

"Yeah why are we being kept out of this?" Jules agrees.

Greg looks at them and frowns. It was a hot call, an officer was a hostage and despite the fact that no demands or calls had been made to them, it was true. Unless Detective Parks knows Ed is dead then their worrying was moot. But that was a thought Greg wasn't willing to entertain. Ed was alive and being held against his will.

"Ten minutes guys. We wait ten more minutes and then apparently Detective Parks and his team move in on Hanson's meeting place. This is their party and we aren't invited."

"Ten…minutes," Spike looks at the clock and then up at Greg. "Then what boss?"

"Then we learn Ed's real condition."

XXXXXXXX

Spencer Ryan kneels down beside Ed with a gun in his hand. "You know you aren't…." is all Spencer manages before Ed's head slams into his, sending the two bit thug careening to the left.

"Damn you," Spencer groans as he shifts to his left side.

Ed wastes no time in rocking back on his heels and making a dash for the open door. During the past two times he was taken out of the cage and then put back in, he had time to study the surrounding area and knew there was a door hiding in the shadows to right of the cage; to the left was the hungry pack of Cody's goons.

But just as Ed clears the opening something pushes into his back and sends him stumbling forward, almost losing his footing. Ed twists himself in Spencer's grasp, kicking at him and sending Spencer staggering backwards.

"Now you've really pissed me off!" Spencer growls as he charges after Ed, catching up with him, wrapping his arm around his neck as he drag's Ed's flailing frame into the shadows away from Wordy. With Cody's men now distracted getting ready for the deal and Wordy and the others thinking Ed was safely locked away inside the cage to await his fate, none of them paid much heed to Spencer who quietly slipped away with an agenda of his own.

With his hands still tightly bound behind his back and the tape over his mouth, Ed was unable to draw much attention to himself to get Wordy's help. Being back in the cage to wait for rescue was better than being in the grasp of this madman who was now on his own and in control of his delivery to Darren Lockhart. Ed struggles to keep his footing as he's dragged further down the darkened hallway by Spencer Ryan, a man out with a personal grudge against him for the arrest earlier in the day. Ed's foot snags something and he braces his legs and pulls back, forcing Spencer's stride to stop and try to regain control once again.

Ed drops his shoulder and lunges into Spencer's stomach once more forcing his deranged captor's body to slam into the wall, but his grasp on the gun not to falter. He tries to kick at Spencer once more, hoping to wind him and then escape on his own, but that wasn't to be.

"You are just…delaying the inevitable," Spencer growls as he grabs the back of Ed's jacket and gives it a good yank, causing Ed's body to crash back into his and both of them to nearly tumble to the ground. Spencer manages to twist himself out of Ed's limbs and pull back a few feet, Ed still on the ground on his knees, breathing hard. Spencer's boot connects with Ed's side, forcing Ed's lips to offer a muffled grasp of pain and his body to fall to the right.

Spencer hears a noise coming from the direction he just took Ed from and knows that he'll have to get back very soon. Time to move.

"Get up. Lockhart is waiting for you. This will secure my position with him," Spencer tells Ed as he grabs his arm and hauls him back to his feet. Spencer had no love loss for Cody Hanson and could care less about Cody's ultimate future. He suggested the trade to keep Ed alive long enough to get him away from Cody so that he could deliver the captured officer to his boss – personally. He was hoping the show of good faith would force Lockhart to take out Cody and let him take over Cody's territory.

"Hope you said goodbye to your family," Spencer taunts.

With fatigue fighting to take over and his adrenaline supply running low, Ed knows that his putting up much of a useful fight was wearing thin. He needed a real distraction to get himself away from the clutches of the deluded thug. But as he's dragged through the last door, a new feeling of fear starts to take over.

Spencer drags Ed to another door and then pulls it open to reveal two waiting men. "Keep him secure until I'm done in there. Understood? He's special delivery to Lockhart – do not touch him until I get back."

Ed tries to pull back but it's to no avail. Wordy! His mind tries to call out as he dragged toward the waiting limousine and then shoved to the floor inside, the doors closing firmly; sealing him inside with the two Lockhart delivery men.

_Damn I'm getting tired of this_, Ed's mind groans as he tries to shift to a better position. Trying to barter or beg for his life with these guys was moot. There was no money in the world he could offer to buy his freedom and no judicial threats he could offer to scare them. His fate now depended on his best friend.

_Wordy…you gotta find me._

XXXXXXXX

Wordy looks up just as Spencer walks past the holding area Ed was being held in and narrows his gaze. He didn't trust the shady crook with anything, especially that of his best friend's life. But what was his real game? And if there really was an inside man that had bought his freedom, what else did Spencer Ryan purchase? Did he know about Wordy's cover or was that still intact? Why was he singled out?

Either way, he'd have to keep an eye on Spencer during the deal. It was nearing the eleventh hour and Lyle Bedford was due to arrive any moment. His team he was sure was getting ready to set up outside the Hanson fortress and would wait until they saw the money and guns exchange. In that instant the doors would be bust open and he would be 'fake arrested' along with the others, pulled at the jail cell and Ed would be given his walking papers. Assuming Ed was just lying on the floor and out of view he doesn't bother to go inspect further.

_Ed buddy hold on a bit longer, _Wordy's mind laments as he helps one of the other thugs secure the money suitcase, not knowing that his friend was no longer where he should be.

"So what did I miss?" Spencer joins the group, slapping Wordy on the back. Wordy gives him a small snarl and Spencer's hand quickly withdraws

"Just get busy," Angelo tells Spencer as he joins the group. Wordy feels Angelo's eyes on him and wonders who Cody's call really was too. Was it to Bedford? Was it to perhaps Spencer Ryan? His surprise to the uninvited guest could have been faked? Or was it to perhaps an inside man and his cover and ultimately his life was in jeopardy?

Either way, this night couldn't end fast enough.

Time then seems to slow for Wordy and as much as he wants to go over to the holding cell and tell his captive friend that very soon everything would be fine, he knows he can't and so remains at Angelo's side as instructed, his brain mentally yelling at his team to hurry up.

"He's here," a voice is heard and suddenly is in their places and the deal is about to go down. Wordy's heart rate picks up the pace as he looks at Spencer who merely stands near the back with a smug expression. But it's the wink he gets that instantly sets his panic in motion.

Something wasn't right. Did he know? Was he part of the deal? Either way, a few more minutes would tell the whole story. Lyle Bedford walks in with six of his own men, two flanking each side and four carrying two large crates. The deal was about to change hands and Wordy could only pray it all worked out as originally planned.

_Anytime guys…anytime._

XXXXXXXX

"Okay they are going in," Greg relays to his group. "Another few minutes and Ed should be back in good hands."

"Hopefully."

XXXXXXXX

"He's here," a voice echoes inside the dark cabin of the limbo making Ed's anxiety explode once more. The back had a narrow alley that Bedford had secured passaway through, two snipers ready to take out any cops that might be lurking. Ed twists himself onto his side and looks up at the two men who are listening to one phone. _Bedford? Ryan? Lockhart? _Who are they listening to? Who's really calling the shots here? But Wordy would realize he's missing right? Time, now couldn't move fast enough to get this nightmare over with.

Wordy watches silently as the two leaders exchange whispered pleasantries and then pull back to complete the deal. Nothing about Ed was mentioned as that was now a silent side deal made between Hanson and Lockhart; it didn't concern Bedford so why bring it up?

But just as the money exchanges hands the room explodes a bit earlier than expected with an exchange of gunfire from the guys manning the upper windows and a flurry of activity as everyone scrambles for their own freedom once the large front doors are forced open. Wordy turns to where Spencer had been standing and notices him missing.

"Damn it!" Wordy curses as he rushes toward the holding cell; checking on Ed before he was fake arrested. Only when he gets to the holding cell he stares in horror at the empty space that greets him. The lock was open, Ed was gone and he was out of time. He spies a backdoor and races for it just as a gunshot rings out.

"No!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Okay so Alice came up with one more twist and will Wordy get to his friend in time? oh of course I'd never kill Ed! but what will he and Wordy face after all this is over? Tension between them? A friends showdown? Hope you still have some nails left (hehe) and please review before you go, the ending is up next. Thanks in advance! :D


	4. Aftermath

**Title: Inside Man  
><strong>**Chapter 4 – Aftermath**

* * *

><p>He didn't care that he wasn't Team One any longer or that he was supposed to just look like he was trying to escape but be arrested along with the rest; Ed's life was in danger and he knew the rest of Team One would never make it before Ed was delivered to the devil. He had to act; protocol be damned in this regard; this was his best friend's life and he was the only one that could save him right now.<p>

"Ryan!" Wordy shouts, drawing the attention of one of the officers told to specifically target the undercover cop while the rest were busy; Wordy now charging for the door and praying that Ed is still alive. With his gun drawn he reaches the door and pushes through it just in time to see the black limo pull away; the dead body on the road thankfully not that of his best friend. With time now up, waiting for the other cop to catch up to him was moot so he dashes toward a waiting truck, hops inside and tears away from the compromised safe house in chase of his friend. Without his phone, calling for help was moot and all he can do is slam his angry fist against the dash in frustration and hope he catches them in time.

"Hold on Eddie…just hold on."

"Ah bet you thought your friends could save you right?" Spencer mocks Ed as he bends down closer to Ed's captive frame on the limo floor. "Well no one knows where we are going so think on THAT!" He finishes with an angry shout before he pulls out his phone and takes a picture of Ed on his back looking up. "A souvenir," he smiles before putting the phone away. Spurred on by anger, Ed brings his now free feet up and kicks at spencer, forcing him forward and the limo to momentarily slow.

"Damn you," Spencer growls at Ed.

But just as Spencer was about to give Ed an unwelcomed physical reward for his actions, the limo jerks suddenly to the right as the truck Wordy is driving slams into the back; Ed's frame rolling and connecting oddly with the right floor bulkhead, his lips uttering an automatic muffled groan. _Wordy._

"What the hell?" Spencer yells as he tries to sit back up. "Who is that?" He asks out loud, unable to get a good look through the double tinted windows and it being the dead of night outside.

"Sorry Ed…" Wordy groans as he pulls the truck back a little more. The road was quiet, dark and mostly deserted, no one to come to his help or call the police about an erratic driver. He had to stop that limo from reaching Lockhart's fortress no matter what and just pray that Ed survives if the limo was to crash.

"Okay buddy…hold on."

Ed feels the limo jerk to the left this time sticks out his legs to keep himself from slamming into the bulkhead.

"Is he nuts?" Spencer shouts as he tries to peer out the back window to get a solid ID on the driver now attacking them. "Someone is in an awful hurry to get you back officer Lane," Spencer hisses. "Well don't just sit there, shoot the damn tires and end this chase already!" He demands of the other occupant in the back of the out of control limo.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay boss we shoulda heard something by now," Spike breaks the tense silence with a few terse words.

"Sophie keeps calling and I'm running out of excuses," Jules sighs.

Greg gives Spike and the rest of the room a nod before pressing the speaker button on the phone in the middle of the table.

_"Sargeant parker," answers the rather rushed voice of Detective Parks._

"Any word on my man?"

_"Anyone find Ed Lane yet?" _The Detective's voice reverberates in the room, forcing the team one team to look up and exchange worried glances.

"What do you mean find Detective? A cop who's a prisoner shouldn't be hard to find."

_"Yeah hold on Parker? What? What the hell do you mean he's escaped and taken Lane with him? Ah damn it!" _They all hear Parks shout over the phone.

"Oh no…" Jules whispers.

_"Yeah bad night for your man Parker. Looks like in the confusion, Spencer Ryan has taken him. I have it on good authority that he's taking him to Darren Lockhart."_

"What?" Sam and Raf ask at once.

"You gotta let us…"

_"Wordsworth's in pursuit and my men are on it; he are tracking him. We got this."_

"Can you…" Greg starts.

_"I'll call you when he's back in our custody."_

"Custo…" Greg tries once more as the line does dead. "Damn it!" He curses angrily, garnering a few inquiring glances from the rest of the team.

"Boss…what does he mean custody?" Spike pipes up. "That was a joke right?"

"Spike…I don't know. Alright…I'll wait this out…you guys just…go back home."

"No way," Sam pipes up. "We've waited this long, we have to know if Ed makes it."

"He will…Wordy will get to him," Spike states firmly, hoping that the hint of doubt in his voice wouldn't be heard.

"Yeah and then what?" Jules counters.

Greg can only offer Jules a small frown before his mind races about what repercussions this was going to have both personally and professionally for his team lead. In the end it would come down to his ultimate direction. He had given Eddie an order to stay away and Ed didn't listen. But what would he officially say? Could he lie for Ed and not suffer some kind of backlash in the future? This was a spot he didn't want to be in – ever. _Damn it Ed…why didn't you just listen?_

XXXXXXXX

Ed's partially captive frame rolls to the left and bumps into the left floor bulkhead as the limo swerves to miss another attack from Wordy.

"Damn it!" Wordy curses as he ducks just as another bullet whizzes past the speeding truck. He presses his foot to the gas and tries to pass on the left. He knew Ed wouldn't be belted in so flipping the limo wasn't an option; all he could hope for was a head-on crash, take out the two goons and hopefully re-arrest Spencer Ryan and save Ed.

"Sorry," Wordy growls again as the limo shifts harshly to the right, sending all occupants to the same side. "I hope I get a raise for all this," he groans as he slams the right side of the truck into the left side of the limo and then pulls back slightly. But not waiting for the other thug with Spencer to regain his composure and fire off a shot, he slams the already dented front end of the large Chevy truck into the left side limo, this time forcing it to veer sharply to the right, the driver frantically trying to regain control before the large vehicle flips.

"Hold on Ed."

Wordy offers another grunt as he ducks a bullet from Spencer's shot that shatters the passenger side window, but quickly recovers and slams into them again. This time the limo driver wasn't able to recover as fast as he wanted and Wordy can only watch and quickly pray that Ed survives as the long black vehicle slams into a large tree, instantly rendering the driver useless to Spencer Ryan.

Wordy wastes no time in getting out of the truck with his gun ready and rushes for the limo. The other thug with Spencer pushes his way out of the right passenger side and tries to fire off a shot at Wordy. Wordy fires first, hitting him in the chest and taking him out of the picture.

"Hold your damn fire!" Spencer's voice booms as he waves his two hands in the air and Wordy holds his fire. "You? What do you want William?"

"I want to whatever you are getting a part of!"

Spencer's expression changes from anger to a heavy frown. "What?"

"I knew something about you was off. What the hell is going on? Are you really going to Lockhart's?"

"You mean…you don't want him?"

"I want in on whatever action you are. That's all I care about," Wordy answers in haste. Of course he wanted to secure Ed's freedom and escorting his captive best friend to one of the biggest arms dealers without the backing or okay of his team wasn't even an option. He had to gain Spencer's trust long enough for him to take him out and ensure Ed was okay.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm serious. I want in. Him I don't care about so I suggest we put him in the truck and then we talk."

Spencer looks at Wordy and frowns, his brain jeering inside at the fact that he wasn't about to share his possible good standing with Darren Lockhart with some two bit goon that was also shady. But he needs Wordy to come closer so that he can get a clean shot off and end this. Officer Lane was his prize to deliver.

"Fine…I'll get him…come and help me get him out," Spencer sighs as he drops his hands.

By this time Ed had finally recovered and had managed to get himself onto the seat, listening to Wordy and knowing that he had to help. But what only Ed could see from his vantage point was that Spencer was reaching for another gun and was about to get the upper hand on Wordy, he couldn't let that happen. So pushing past any fresh pain and pushes himself up to a somewhat squatting position and gets ready to lunge.

Wordy nears the back and Spencer reaches for his gun. Just as Spencer pulls it out to shoot Wordy, Ed pushes himself out of the limo, forcing Spencer to the ground and the loosely grasped gun to go flying. Ed rolls off Spencer and allows Wordy to take him down for good.

Not wanting to identify himself yet as a cop, Wordy slams the butt end of his gun into Spencer's temple, sending him crashing back to the earth in an unconscious heap and allowing Wordy to subdue him for the arrest. After he had subdued Spencer, he took his phone and called his own team to come and make the arrest.

It was finally over.

"Hold on Ed I got you," Wordy quickly hurries over to his friend and gently helps him up. "I swear you used up all of your nine lives tonight," he grumbles as he leads Ed toward the side of the truck he had borrowed. Ed leans against the side of the truck waiting for his friend to complete the rescue and free him. With a small shake of his head and a futile curse, Ed can only thank god he's alive and wait. This, however, when in reality was only a few minutes, was one of the longest waits in his life.

"I should deliver you like that to Greg so he can also give you a good scolding without you trying to give your excuses for all this," Wordy mumbles as he looks at Ed's remorseful expression and frowns as he slowly peels the tape from his mouth.

"Wordy…look…"

"Ed…just save it right now. I mean it. Now turn around," he huffs as he turns Ed around to cut him free.

"I just…"

"I swear don't make me gag you again because I'm mad enough to do that," Wordy retorts as he pulls a knife and starts to cut the hard plastic that had been keeping his friend prisoner for the past few hours.

"Thanks," Ed whispers in a low tone as he quickly starts to rub his tender wrists. He watches Wordy heading for the front of the truck and hurries after him, crudely wiping some of the blood and dirt from his face. Ed gently grabs Wordy's arm and turns him around. "I'm sorry."

"You could have gotten us both killed!"

"I know and…I swear I didn't know it was yours."

"And if you knew it wasn't? Why were you even out there…alone?…you know I don't want to know…I guess we just don't talk anymore."

"That isn't fair and you know it," Ed shoots back. "I had no idea and was…"

"What? Following a lead on your own? You know you're not invincible. You do know that right Ed? Most other times you got off lucky and usually were able to get out on your own or with the help of the team with only a few scuff marks on your uniform. But not tonight. Maybe tonight gave you a wakeup call? What if it wasn't my sting? What if you really were on your own and were now in the clutches of Darren Lockhart? Do you know what that guy did to the last cop he kidnapped?"

"You're right…you're right…I messed up big time," Ed resigns as he turns his back, his head pounding and his entire body wanting nothing more than to just lie on the ground and sleep until morning. But he still had a few others to face, his boss and his wife; neither of them he was looking forward to.

"You could have gotten us both killed Ed, they would have tried to force my hand which I couldn't do and then just kill us both when I said no! Am I mad at you? Yes."

"I know and I'm sorry. How many times can I say it?"

"Once more damn it!" Wordy turns to him with an angry expression. "Do you know what my team had to do to earn my way into that group? And on the night of the big bust my best friend is out there doing his own thing as usual; ends up getting kidnapped and forces my hand in more ways than one. Yeah thanks Ed, I can hear my boss's voice now trying to explain how my best friend and former team member just _happened _to show up where I was and _conveniently _got himself kidnapped on my sting. Any idea how that will go?"

"Probably as good as mine," Ed groans; knowing his friend had every right to be upset and frustrated.

"Your actions forced our friendship to be pushed past the breaking point and tonight we both nearly lost and I mean more than our jobs."

"You're right," Ed resigns quietly. "I take full blame for that."

Wordy looks at him and just shakes his head. The look of remorse in Ed's warm blue eyes was eating away at him and as much as he would want to stay mad he just couldn't. It was a hard lesson – but was it learned? Only time would tell this time. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too; good thing you pulled that punch," Ed just shakes his head.

"Thanks for making it look real. Come on let's get you back…"

"Wordy…"

"Eddie it's late and I just need…"

"I didn't know."

"Why were you out there alone?" Wordy inquires. "The truth."

"I had a hunch that Spencer wasn't on the up and up," Ed confesses in truth.

"Well next time you get a hunch tell someone other than yourself or even Greg," Wordy leans in and states firmly.

"See I did that. I texted your team and was told to wait."

"Well then what the hell happened?"

"I saw a kid, went for him and walked into their trap."

"Yeah Angelo's son. That smart bastard uses his kid to flush out guys such as yourself. Big bad Ed Lane brought down by fatherly instinct. Way to go."

"Mock all you want but I wasn't expecting it. So I learned my lesson," Ed resigns with a heavy sigh.

"The hard way. Come on, let's get back before you stand there looking all pathetic on me and I actually start to feel sorry for all you had to endure tonight."

"Hey you're the one that just ran me off the road."

"Hey it's your fault you were in that limo in the first place," Wordy shoots back as they finally hear sirens approaching and know it's finally time to call it a night.

"Will you get in trouble?"

"You're the one in more hot water that I am here and you're worried about me?" Wordy asks in surprise.

"I guess my fatherly instinct isn't the only old habit that dies hard," Ed answers with a small smile.

"I'll be fine. Will you still be employed in the morning?"

"Morning?" Ed smirks. "You think Greg Parker will wait that long? I'll be lucky if he hasn't already posted my job."

"You're right, maybe I should be taking to you the train station instead," Wordy lightly chuckles as he looks over at Ed who had his gaze fixed firmly ahead. "You had to endure quite a bit."

"I've been called names before."

"Ed those guys were ready to tear you to pieces if no one intervened. You couldn't fight back you get that? As it is you got off pretty easy considering what they're capable of and did to the last cop they had in their grasp."

"I know," Ed replies with a heavy sigh, trying to stifle a painful wince. "But the worst part was when I first heard your voice in that van. That was hell. I knew in that instant I had failed you."

"Ed..."

"I know it was a mistake and it wasn't intentional but it was still hell. Watching him give you that order to kill..."

"Guess it was hell on both of us because when I saw you unconscious at Angelo's feet I nearly died," Wordy sighs and Ed only nods in agreement. "Is anything is broken?" Wordy asks after a few seconds of silence.

"No," Ed gently shrugs. "Head sure hurts, but it won't be anything compared to what Greg's gonna do," Ed groans and Wordy smirks. However, after a few seconds of uneasy silence starts to build, Ed glances over at his friend. "Wordy…"

"Ed, I'm not mad. I'm just trying to imagine what might have happened if my hand was forced and my team was late. I think Cody knew something or maybe Spencer and they just hid it, either way I doubt I'll be working with them again."

"Right. Look…"

"Help is finally here," Wordy interrupts his friend as the two unmarked police cruisers finally pull up behind them. "Okay, call Greg but stay put," Wordy orders as he hands him Spencer's phone. "I'll deal with this."

The tension was still high and Ed now wonders if he had crossed the professional boundary and passed the point of no return with his friend and thus also strained personal relations. He had forced Wordy in to a dire predicament and was just lucky things ended the way they did with his friends cover intact and his own life saved. He watches Wordy gesturing toward the truck and just rolls his eyes at his own stupidity and could only hope that this would be overlooked as a minor oversight. He looks down at the phone and takes a deep breath before he calls Greg. Although the near death ordeal was over, the rest of the night was still to unfold. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

XXXXXXXX

_"Greg Parker."_

"Its me and I'm okay," Ed's voice is heard in the team one meeting room.

_"Ed? Oh thank god," Greg's sigh of relief fills the entire cabin. "Where's Wordy?"_

"Taking care of business. I'm on my way back to..."

_"Just go to home or to the hospital…" Greg says as he watches the team now starting to disperse with happy and relieved smiles. They also knew that the rest of the conversation was between their boss and their team lead._

"Greg…"

_"Damn it Ed," Greg picks up the phone so he can talk without much of an audience. "Will you at least listen to this order? We'll talk in the morning. Everything's taken care of tonight. Just go home and get some sleep and come in early tomorrow."_

"Right," Ed sighs as he hangs up the phone. Greg was pissed and rightfully so. He had put another friend and his direct superior in a tight spot, having to justify his actions. What professional repercussions would he face from all this? He watches Wordy slowly head back to the truck and now wishes more than anything that he had just went straight home and not listened to his sometimes ill-fated sense of duty.

"So was your team very angry?"

"A little but not bad, we got what we originally came for so that saved both of us. They got Cody and Lyle. Each will probably get out thanks to their high priced lawyers but their flunkies will be off the streets for some time so that's pretty good; myself included. But I still gotta go to work after I drop you off. Your car is still at the shipyard...so we'll head there first," Wordy tells Ed as he gets into the quiet cabin of the truck and starts it up. Ed only gives him a small nod and then casts his gaze into the darkened landscape outside. Uncomfortable silence starts to suffocate the quiet cabin, forcing Ed to just clench his fists and curse himself once more.

"Yell at me, curse at me but say something."

"Seriously Ed, what do you want me to say? You're not my son thank the lord for that," Wordy retorts with a slight twist of his lips, "so I'll save the grounding you for the rest of your life speech to Greg. You could have gotten us both killed and…and what? Was it a dumb ass thing to do? You really want me to go there right now?"

"It's better than silence…I couldn't let it go."

"One of these days Ed…I hate to say it but that leap before you look will get you in more hot water than tonight and what if there is no one there to come to your aid?"

"Then you can say I told you so," Ed shoots back.

"On what? Your tombstone?" Wordy growls in return. "Yeah when we're like what side by side in the cemetary?"

"Stop the truck."

"What?" Wordy looks at him in shock.

"Stop the damn truck now," Ed demands.

"We are in the middle of nowhere!" Wordy growls back as he slams on the breaks and the truck stops in a deserted area. He watches Ed get out and then feels his whole frame automatically jump when the door slams shut. "Oh what are you doing? Hitch-hiking? Ed..." Wordy asks in frustration as he gets out and stands a few feet away with his back to him.

"Damn you."

"Pardon?" Wordy looks at him in shock. "What did…did you just curse me?"

"Yeah I did," Ed turns to him with a determined steely gaze.

"I just saved your ass and you curse me?"

"I have wanted to say that to you since you…since you left," Ed's voice softens and his face untenses.

"Oh so this was my fault? You nearly ruining my career and getting yourself killed was my fault?" Wordy retorts heavily.

"It…no it wasn't and I take full responsibility for that."

"Okay then...what's really going on? Ed talk to me."

Ed looks at him and then slightly turns away before letting out a heavy sigh, watching his warm breath dance in the cool night air before his eyes. "I would never say this to anyone else…but it's just not the same without you at my side each day."

Wordy hears the torment in his best friend's voice and then watches as Ed turns back with remorse in his eyes.

"Was I scared tonight? At times like hell. But knowing you were there…I just…never mind," Ed huffs as he turns and heads back for the truck. Wordy stands in Ed's way blocking his path and halting his movements.

"I had to leave the team."

"You didn't have to! You could have assigned yourself to…"

"Trust me I looked at all the angles and aside from taking Winnie's job," Wordy pauses as they both share a small smile, "it wasn't doable. Ed you're my best friend but that job means without hesitation I have to be "_on"_ every single second so that I don't make a mistake and my best friend is gone because I shook at that last second and your life ended. Yeah it sucks…for me to. Getting used to a new team, working jobs far more dangerous physically than before…Shelly is constantly on edge, the kids don't see…trust me I looked at all the angles. So if you want to curse something, curse Parkinson's," Wordy finishes with a heavy sigh.

"Damn Parkinson's," Ed remarks dryly and Wordy emits a small chuckle.

"Ed?"

"I'm good buddy…just had to get that out. What about us? Are we gonna be okay?"

"Never a doubt Eddie. But you know I still owe you a good ass kicking for the mental hell you put me through tonight," Wordy teases Ed. "Seriously I've never had to hit you before."

"You feel sorry for me now?"

"Only a little but if we were closer I would be tempted to make you walk."

"Yeah I'll bet," Ed lightly chuckles. "But I might be hitting you up for a reference tomorrow," Ed leans back on the seat of the truck and shakes his head.

"Greg will cover for you."

"Yeah that's what I'm afraid of," Ed answers as he looks over at Wordy.

"Speaking of covering…what excuse are you gonna tell Sophie?"

"Mistaken Identity," Ed huffs. "Morning can't come soon enough."

They finally reach the shipyard where Wordy brings the truck to a stop and then looks over at Ed with a small frown. "Let me know what happens okay? And if you need anything..."

"It'll be okay. If I get suspended then so be it," Ed tells his friend, pausing before he gets out. "I really do owe you one."

"Yeah…you do," Wordy gently slaps him on the shoulder before the two friends share a brief hug and smile before Ed finally bids him goodnight and then gets back out into the cool night air. He was tired, beat up, slightly shivering and spent of adrenaline. Sleep couldn't come fast enough but as he watches Wordy pull away, he can't help but wonder if things would now be strained for good by his actions tonight.

_'One of these days that attitude will get you killed Ed…I won't be there.' _Wordy's voice rings in his head as he gets into the chilly Ford Flex and slowly heads for home. He quietly enters, not wanting to wake Clark or Izzy and as expected is quickly questioned by Sophie, who thankfully buys his lame excuse. After a brief but loving hug, Ed ops for a quick shower and a few hours sleep before getting up early the next morning and heading into work before the rest of the team to deal with Greg's wrath.

"Nice shiner. You okay," Greg nods to the right side of Ed's face where the cut above his eye and the darkened skin still held the telltale reminder of the night before.

"Yeah. Am I still employed?"

"Should you be?" Greg counters sharply.

"I deserved that," Ed huffs.

"Damn it Eddie I gave you specific instructions to drop it," Greg reminds him.

"I couldn't let it go."

"I'm sure Wordy has said this but you could have gotten both of you killed!"

"A few times over."

"Good, you'll hear it again a few more times," Greg replies before he takes a step back and just shakes his head. "So you tell me…what do I do?"

"Boss I'm sorry," Ed resigns.

"I mean with you after you not listening. Makes me wonder what else I tell you that you'll either question or just outright disobey."

"This was off the clock."

"It was case related and you know it," Greg counters. "So tell me Ed…what do I do? You're the one that sets the pace for the team. What you do they follow; I don't need any more repeats of tonight."

"There was this…you know…no. I was wrong and have no excuse. I'm sorry…I made a mistake," Ed finishes with a heavy sigh. "Jeopardizing Wordy's cover was the last thing I wanted to do. I didn't think."

"You're right you didn't. You didn't think about the fact that maybe I wasn't just telling you that for something to do. They wanted you suspended for nearly ruining the deal. But it won't come to that," Greg twists his head to left and tells his team lead.

"Okay and what did you tell them?"

"I wanted to tell them that I agreed with them and that maybe with your ass behind a desk doing paperwork and closing case files for a week you'd learn a thing or two," Greg frowns, his face softening. "However, I know that Ed Lane isn't exactly a desk kinda guy."

"What did you really tell them?" Ed dares to ask.

"Ed…"

"Greg, seriously what did you tell them? I hafta know."

Greg looks at Ed before turning around and walking away a few feet his mind quickly replaying the conversation he had with Detective Parks only a few hours earlier, just after they were told both Ed and Wordy were safe.

_"Your man…can you explain his actions? Why was he there? Why was he alone? He nearly got my guy killed and the deal botched. The only saving grace is that we were able to arrest both Cody and Lyle, if even for a few short hours and my guys cover is still in tact. So what was it?"_

_"He…" Greg had stopped and then cursed himself. "He was following up another lead."_

_"Oh really? What case so that I can ver…"_

_"It was a personal lead. He was told that his son was there with the wrong crowd and well being the father he is…had to go and check it out. Now I'm sure you can appreciate why he went alone and he was off the clock."_

_"How old is his son?"_

_"Sixteen, that you can check."_

_"No need. We've been getting reports of teens setting off fireworks and doing drugs out there. Your man had reason to be worried. Just make sure he knows the danger of what he did tonight and remind him that his name will go on the case file for tonight. He's just lucky it turned out as well as it did or even your explanation wouldn't save him."_

_"Trust me Detective Parks, I doubt he'll ever forget."_

_"Well then I'll leave the rest with you to deal with."_

"Greg," Ed persists forcing Greg to turn back to face him directly.

"Just give me your word right now that you'll never force my hand again."

"What did you say?"

"Damn it Eddie just promise me," Greg lightly demands.

Ed looks at Greg and then slightly shakes his head. "Why?"

"Why did I cover for you or why are we still talking about this?"

"Why did you cover for me?"

"Because…you would have done it for me," Greg counters. "Okay…that's it."

"So in other words no amount of asking is going to get me my answer?"

"That's why I'm in charge," Greg replies wryly.

"If I have to I will set the record straight."

"Ed, I'm not the one in trouble here."

"With you or them?"

"Me."

"Right. And you are just going to let me stew about this all day right?"

"Just punishment right?"

"Very," Ed quietly groans as Spike and Sam walk in; Jules waiting a few minutes and then entering just ahead of Raf. As both Ed and Greg suspected, Ed was quickly surrounded by the team, answering questions about his welfare and telling him how glad they were he was back with them in one piece; Jules giving him a muchly deserved earful and Raf saying that he was lucky to be alive.

"Okay team…let's get the day started."

Ed looks over at Greg and curses himself inside. Greg had covered for him, had made something up to cover his foolish actions and one day it could come back to haunt them both. He tries to listen to the things Greg is explaining but is now wondering what was said that would garner no follow up phone call. His mind then drifts to Wordy and he once again inwardly cringes. He had let two close friends down with one faulty decision. But Wordy was right, this time he was able to walk away and reflect, would he be that lucky next time?

Fortunately a call comes in and Ed's mind is forced back to business as usual. Blaming the rough night before, he puts Sam in charge and the rest of the team carries on without being the wiser to Greg's real intentions. But as the end of the day comes to a close, Ed can feel the sting of his actions in Greg's distance and no word from his best friend.

Just before he heads for the exit doors, Ed makes a detour to the briefing room, waiting until Greg closes the case files and then makes himself known.

"Good work today Eddie," Greg mentions with his back still to him.

"We good?" Ed asks with a somber tone, forcing Greg to turn to him.

"We're good. It's over and done. Go straight home now."

"Got one stop first…"

"Ed, I swear…"

"I'm going to see Wordy," Ed answers flatly.

"Say hi for me."

Ed nods to Greg and then turns to leave. In truth the aches and fatigue from the night before were taking their toll and he wants nothing more than to just go home and call it a night early. But he had to make amends with Wordy, or at least prove to himself that their friendship was still intact.

Ed pulls up to Wordy's home and lets out a deep sigh before he slowly heads up the walk and hesitantly knocks on the door.

"Hey Ed," Shelly greets him with a bright smile. "Kevin's in the back. You staying for dinner?"

"No I can't," Ed replies with a polite smile. "I'm just here for a few minutes."

"Stay as long as you want, you know you're part of the family," Shelly warmly tells him as she disappears into the kitchen. With a hint of nervous anxiety starting to build, Ed slowly heads for the backyard where Wordy was working on fixing something on one of the girls bikes.

"Ah damn it," Wordy curses as he rests back on his heels and stares at the pink bicycle with a frown.

"Shoulda opted for the skateboard," Ed pipes up and Wordy's lips just offer a small chuckle. Ed slowly eases himself down onto one of the nearby lawn chairs and then offers his friend a warm smile as Wordy turns to face him.

"Still employed?"

"Still," Ed agrees.

"Greg tell you what he said to my guy?"

"Do I want to know?" Ed counters.

"I don't know either but I hear it was a viable excuse that saved your job."

"Yeah I know I owe him too."

"Funny, up til last night most of us owed you one," Wordy winks and Ed just shakes his head. "So superman, how does it feel to be human?"

"Funny, but my anxiety hasn't lessened."

"You got off easy, literally. Last night I had to go back to lockup and spend at least five hours with the rest of Cody's goons."

"What happened with Spencer Ryan?"

"I told him that you knocked him out just as the cops arrived and as I tried to escape I was arrested and you were set free. He bought it – I think. Either way he'll remain in jail for longer this time and his inside man was also brought down. As suspected Cody and Lyle made bail; their excuse was they were in the wrong place at the wrong time; sound familiar?" Wordy looks at Ed who only smirks as he shakes his head and nods.

"Did they suspect anything?"

"You mean with me? Nah, I had it covered," Wordy assures him. "They also got his inside man _before_ I went into lock up last night, so we should be okay from here on in. I get a few days here at home and then I'm back to work."

"And so in your spare time you're a girl's bicycle mechanic," Ed smiles.

"Ever tried fixing one of these?" Wordy challenges as he holds up a small wrench. "Your kid takes the bus."

"Watch and learn," Ed retorts as he takes off his jacket and kneels down by his friend. "Okay so what your first problem is this…" his voice trails off.

The tension starts to subside as the two friends talk, laugh and slowly ease their way back onto good terms once again. Their friendship was never really in jeopardy as they had come through too much to let it just break over one night's misunderstanding. But Ed had learned a valuable lesson in that sometimes putting the job first would cost his job and a lot more; it was the a lot more that he valued the most. That close bond and friendship, although put to a severe test would be the only thing to help them brave the oncoming battle.

XXXXXXXX

"Ryan got a letter…from a _friend._"

"Thanks," he takes the small white envelope and then eases himself down onto his bed and turning away from the viewing public.

Spencer Ryan punches the small pillow in his jail cell and offers another curse in Ed Lane's name. He pulls out a small picture of Ed bound and gagged on the floor of the limo and snarls at it. Then his eyes drift toward another small picture, this time of Wordy that he just got from a new inside man and he narrows his gaze further.

"Next time you…both of you…will die. Officer Lane and Officer Wordsworth – retribution is coming."

**THE END!**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay so I did leave a little open ended b/c originally I had wanted to come back with a sequel that would of course deal with the revenge aspect and also someone finding out about Greg's covering for Ed and of course more Ed/Wordy peril/heroics/friendship and have capped here (but maybe your feedback will help Alice come back to this again if you so want it-your reviews will tell me). The boss was of course Darren Lockhart and the Inside Man was another paid off cop. However, I do hope you liked the ending to this little adventure ficlet and please leave me a final review and let me know your thoughts before you go. Thanks again!


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